Methods and systems of using remote subscriber identification modules at a device

Abstract

The present invention discloses methods and systems for communicating at a cellular router between a first wireless communication module and a first subscriber identity module (SIM). The cellular router receives a first request from a first wireless communication module and encapsulates the first request in a first modified request. The cellular router then sends the first modified request to a first SIM card in a first communication apparatus and waits for a first modified reply. While waiting for the first modified reply the cellular router sends at least one halt message to the first wireless communication module after a first time threshold. After receiving the first modified reply, the cellular router decapsulates the first modified reply to retrieve a first reply and sends the first reply to the first wireless communication module where the first modified reply is a reply to the first modified request.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing requests at a subscriber identification module (SIM) bank, comprising:
 a. receiving a first modified request from a router; 
 b. when a second modified request is received after the first modified request is received, ignoring the second modified request; 
 c. decapsulating the first modified request to retrieve a request; 
 d. transmitting the request to a corresponding SIM card; and 
 e. receiving a reply from the corresponding SIM card; 
 wherein the reply is corresponding to the first modified request; and 
 wherein the corresponding SIM card is housed in the SIM bank. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second modified request is sent by the router after a time threshold. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reply includes an identity of the corresponding SIM card and an identity of the SIM bank. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SIM bank is in a plurality of SIM banks and holds a plurality of SIM cards. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 encapsulating the reply as a modified reply; and 
 transmitting the modified reply to the router. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the modified reply is transmitted through an aggregated end-to-end connection. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the modified reply is transmitted using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first modified request is received through an aggregated end-to-end connection. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first modified request is the same as the second modified request. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SIM bank houses a plurality of SIM cards. 
     
     
       11. A subscriber identification module (SIM) bank, comprising:
 at least one network interface; 
 at least one main memory; 
 at least one processing unit; and 
 at least one secondary non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit and configured to cause the at least one processing unit to perform:
 a. receiving a first modified request from a router; 
 b. when a second modified request is received after the first modified request is received, ignoring the second modified request; 
 c. decapsulating the first modified request to retrieve a request; 
 d. transmitting the request to a corresponding SIM card; and 
 e. receiving a reply from the corresponding SIM card; 
 
 wherein the reply is corresponding to the first modified request; and 
 wherein the requests received are housed in the SIM bank. 
 
     
     
       12. The SIM bank of  claim 11 , wherein the second modified request is sent by the router after a time threshold. 
     
     
       13. The SIM bank of  claim 11 , wherein the reply includes an identity of the corresponding SIM card and an identity of the SIM bank. 
     
     
       14. The SIM bank of  claim 11 , wherein the SIM bank is in a plurality of SIM banks and holds a plurality of SIM cards. 
     
     
       15. The SIM bank of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium further stores program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit and configured to cause the at least one processing unit to perform encapsulating the reply as a modified reply and transmitting the modified reply to the router. 
     
     
       16. The SIM bank of  claim 15 , wherein the modified reply is transmitted through an aggregated end-to-end connection. 
     
     
       17. The SIM bank of  claim 15 , wherein the modified reply is transmitted using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). 
     
     
       18. The SIM bank of  claim 11 , wherein the modified request is received through an aggregated end-to-end connection. 
     
     
       19. The SIM bank of  claim 11 , wherein the first modified request is the same as the second modified request. 
     
     
       20. The SIM bank of  claim 11 , wherein the SIM bank houses a plurality of SIM cards.